The present invention relates to furnishings for open offices, and the like and in particular to movable room divider panels or partitions of the type having frame and removable cover panels.
Room divider systems are particularly popular in modern offices, since they allow large areas to be aesthetically and economically subdivided for maximum worker productivity. However, despite their flexibility, further improvements are desired. For example, most existing panel systems do not allow the exterior surfaces of the panels to be removed and replaced without significant effort and several tools. Some attempts have been made to solve this problem through the use of removable cover panels. However, in such systems, the removable cover panels are typically difficult to remove and/or securely reinstall. Also, present retention systems for holding the removable cover panels on their associated frame are not as positive as desired, thus leading to loose and misaligned cover panels. Further, clips and attachment brackets are often lost or damaged, aggravating the problem of inadequate attachment. Still further, dirty or damaged panels with exposed but only localized damage must be removed and replaced in order to satisfactorily refurbish an office layout.
Recently, room divider systems have been adapted to include raceways and the like for routing electrical power and telecommunication cables therethrough. Improvements in this aspect of portable partition panels is also desired. For one, the raceways provided for laying in cables are difficult to access, and often require some disassembly of panels. Other systems require that the cables be strung or threaded into the raceways. Further, in most systems, it is difficult to separate high voltage lines such as for dispensing electrical power from low voltage lines such as for telecommunication. This leads to mixed lines resulting in electrical interference therebetween. This potentially also creates maintenance hazards where the wires are poorly identified.
Thus, a panel system offering increased flexibility in panel placement, attachment, repair, and refurbishing is desired. Further, a system is needed in which high voltage lines are readily accessible and separatable from low voltage lines, while simultaneously also offering maximum flexibility in cable routing and placement.